LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A devastating collision in Louisville’s west end involving a school bus and a local woman’s vehicle has led to a lawsuit after it was found that the bus driver, who had a prior drug conviction, should not have been employed under district guidelines.
Kim Petty, the victim, sustained severe injuries including a broken neck, shoulder, forearm, and pelvis when her car was struck by the school bus driven by Aaron Helton. According to the lawsuit filed in Jefferson Circuit Court earlier this month, there are allegations that Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) failed to adhere to hiring practices that would have prevented Helton from taking the wheel.
Attorney Bo Bolus, representing Petty, emphasized the gravity of her injuries, describing them as “permanent” and “catastrophic.” The lawsuit highlights that not only did Helton’s hiring violate JCPS policy due to his criminal record, but procedural lapses following the crash compounded the issue.
The incident occurred when the bus, traveling north, collided with Petty’s westbound car after running a red light, as observed by two witnesses. Despite Helton’s assertions that he had the green light, the evidence presented in the lawsuit supports the claim of his fault at the signal.
Helton’s background came under scrutiny after the accident. Court documents indicate that in 2019, he was convicted in Wyoming on charges including two counts of felony possession of a controlled substance. Despite this, Helton was rehired by JCPS after having worked there prior to his conviction.
Bolus pointed out that the background check conducted by JCPS failed to reveal Helton’s past criminal activities outside Kentucky, which could have disqualified him from driving under district hiring policies. These policies mandate that bus drivers cannot have felony drug convictions. Furthermore, Helton’s supervisor allegedly admitted that if Helton’s criminal record had been known, he would not have been driving that day.
The aftermath of the collision also revealed procedural failures. Despite district policies, Helton was not drug tested immediately following the accident, which was against JCPS’s regulations. Instead, JCPS ordered additional training for Helton, which Bolus compared to a similar lack of strict adherence to policies in another distressing JCPS incident, where a child was dragged by a bus in 2015.
In response to the lawsuit and the issues it raises, the school district, under Superintendent Marty Pollio, who is named as a co-defendant, said it could not comment on pending litigation.
This case has raised concerns about the enforcement of safety protocols and background checks within the school district, prompting community calls for accountability and ensuring such oversights are not repeated. Bolus hopes that this lawsuit not only brings justice for Petty but also prompts JCPS to uphold stringent safety standards and thorough background checks to prevent such incidents in the future.